Ceiling
fans in your home can be a real energy saver with an added bonus
of more comfort for everyone at little cost for the electrical power
that operates the fan units. Fans are less expensive to buy now
than several years ago, making the total package a bargain from
store, to ceiling, to air circulation. Ceiling
fans help lower both air conditioning and heating costs. In air-conditioned
rooms, the cool air tends to pool on the floor surface. With the
paddles of a slow turning ceiling fan stirring the air, cool air
is distributed throughout the room. In heating situations, rooms
may be comfortable at a floor level, but uncomfortably warm near
the ceiling: a sleeping loft; and upper berth of a bunk bed; or
a room with a cathedral ceiling are good examples. The fan corrects
this by circulating the rising warm air throughout the room. It
costs just pennies to distribute the costly-produced heat. A ceiling
fan working during the summer season to cool can provide plenty
of comfort for a fraction of the cost of running a window or central
air conditioning unit.
THE
RIGHT BLADE SPAN:
Critical in choosing a ceiling fan is the correct blade span. The
span is the distance from the tip of one blade to the tip of another
opposite blade.
Thirty-six
inch fans are the rooms up to 9x12 feet. Examples are kitchens,
bathrooms, large closets.
Forty-two
inch fans are designed for rooms up to 12x15 feet. Examples are
kid's bedrooms, large kitchens, family rooms, studies.
Fifty-two
inch fans are for rooms larger than 12x15 feet. Living rooms, dining
rooms, large porches, master bedrooms, recreation rooms, large family
rooms are examples.
The
number of fan blades can be important in your ceiling fan selection.
Most fans have four blades. Others have five or six blades. The
additional blades permit a smaller fan to produce similar air movement
of a larger fan. For example, a smaller fan with more than four
blades is about equal to a larger fan with four blades.
DIFFERENT
CONFIGURATIONS:
There are three different basic installation configurations you
should consider: downrod style, next-to-the-ceiling style, and "duomount"
style.
Downrod-
This is the traditional style. The design incorporates an 8-inch
downrod from the ceiling to the top of the fan motor. The design
is tailored to rooms with high ceilings-those over 8-feet-or rooms
where the fan will be installed over furniture. It is an excellent
choice for cathedral ceilings. Downrod units generally have a self-aligning
ball hanging canopy. This device lets you install the fans on ceilings
with up to a 45-degree slope or pitch.
Next-to-ceiling-
For ceilings 8 feet or less, this style is a wise choice. Installation
permits maximum clearance in rooms which have high traffic. There
are two configurations in this style:
Adapter
configuration-
This utilizes a traditional fan design. It has a bottom plate, side
band, and top plate. Instead of a downrod, the adapter provides
additional clearance from the bottom of the fan to the floor.
Cannister
configuration-
It has the same clearance as the adapter. Its design combines traditional
and modern styling in a unique look.
Duo-Mount
style-
It permits a traditional downrod installation or a next-to-ceiling
installation.
